The Bela Lugosi Collection - "Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1932) stars Bela Lugosi as a mad doctor whose sideshow is a front for bizarre experiments that involve kidnapping beautiful young women and injecting them with blood from his pet gorilla. Then, Lugosi and Boris Karloff team up for the first time in "The Black Cat" (1934), Edgar G. Ulmer's macabre chiller about a Balkan castle, built over a WWI graveyard, that becomes the site for a battle of wills between psychiatrist Lugosi and devil-worshipper Karloff. Next, "The Raven" (1935) stars Lugosi as a Poe-obsessed plastic surgeon who invites a beautiful patient, her fiance and her father to his retreat and, with the aid of criminal Karloff, imprisons and tortures them. With Irene Ware, Samuel Hinds. A radioactive meteorite infects a scientist with a touch of death in "The Invisible Ray" (1936), which features Lugosi and Karloff as feuding researchers. And, in "Black Friday" (1940), scientist Karloff transfers the brain of a gangster into the body of an injuredEnglish professor who takes on the hood's traits and seeks revenge against rival mobster Lugosi. 5 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: French, Spanish.

The Esther Williams Collection - In her first leading role for MGM, Esther Williams swims her way to stardom as an aquatic instructor at a girls' school who is wooed by songwriter Red Skelton, in "Bathing Beauty" (1944). Basil Rathbone co-stars; songs include "Tico-Tico," "Bim, Bam, Boom." Then, socialite Williams sues newspaperman Van Johnson after a less-than-flattering article is run about her, in "Easy to Wed" (1946). Lucille Ball and Keenan Wynn also star; songs include "Come Closer to Me," "Continental Polka." "On an Island with You" (1948) is a top-notch MGM musical with Esther as a Hollywood star on location in Hawaii who is desired by swabby Peter Lawford. With Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante; includes the songs "If I Were You," "Wedding Samba." Next, bathing suit designer Williams must fend off the advances of Latin lothario Montalban, in "Neptune's Daughter" (1949), co-starring Skelton. Tunes include "My Heart Beats Faster" and the Oscar-winning "Baby, It's Cold Outside." And, small-town girl Williams tries to become famous by swimming the English Channel, in "Dangerous When Wet" (1953). Fernando Lamas co-stars. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Five-disc set. (NEW JULY 17)

Ace in the Hole (1951) - Billy Wilder's biting, ahead-of-its-time commentary on the sensationalized nature of the news media stars Kirk Douglas as a struggling and unscrupulous Albuquerque reporter who eyes a chance at fame when he breaks the story of a man trapped in a mine. Teaming with the local sheriff, Douglas schemes to prolong the rescue effort until the story gains national notoriety. Jan Sterling, Robert Arthur, Ray Teal also star. AKA: "The Big Carnival." 111 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; audio commentary; featurette; photo gallery; theatrical trailer. (NEW JULY 17)

Gene Autry: Twilight on the Rio Grande (1947) - When his partner is murdered by curly wolves near the Mexican border, singing cowpoke Gene Autry rides into a small town to get justice against the bad guys. With the help of trusty sidekick Sterling Holloway and a beautiful cantina singer, Gene embarks on a crusade of justice aimed at giving the varmints tickets to meet St. Peter. With Adele Mara, Bob Steele, and music from The Cass County Boys. 71 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; featurette; photo gallery; radio show excerpt; trivia; "The Phantom Empire" chapter. (RELEASED JULY 3)

The Woman In The Window (1945) - Dazzling film noir from director Fritz Lang showcasing Edward G. Robinson as an amiable professor invited to join beautiful model Joan Bennett in her apartment when his wife and children are on vacation. His fantasies turn to terror when he kills her tough boyfriend and finds himself in the middle of a deadly blackmail plot. Raymond Massey, Dan Duryea, Bobby Blake, and Spanky McFarland also star. 99 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish.

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